New Delhi, India (BBN)-Bangladesh are in their second ever Asia Cup final after finishing second behind India in the league stage.
In their first Asia Cup final appearance, Bangladesh had lost narrowly to Pakistan by two runs at home in 2012, reports The Times of India.
This year, they got the better of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and UAE after suffering a defeat in their opening match against India to reach the final.
On Sunday, in a rematch, they face India again and have some scores to settle against their much more illustrious opponents.
Here, TOI takes a look at the hurdles they had to clear to make it to the final of the 2016 Asia Cup.
v India – Lost by 45 runs
In the opening match, Bangladesh rued a costly mistake during a crucial passage of play against India that took the game away from them.
Bangladeshi bowlers were on the money early on after restricting India to 52 in the first 10 overs besides picking the important wickets of Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina.
However, the 11th over proved to be the game changer in which Shakib Al Hasan at point dropped Rohit off Taskin Ahmed.
Rohit was batting on 21 then and following that reprieve, he struck a four, a six and a four off the next three deliveries, rubbing salt in Bangladesh’s wounds.
India collected 114 runs for the loss of three more wickets in the final ten to finish on 166/6.
Barring Sabbir Rahman’s 32-ball 44, no Bangladeshi batsman could conjure up a total of any significance.
Four Indian bowlers returned identical economy rate of 5.75 in their four overs. Nehra put in the top performance with 3 for 23.
v UAE – Won by 51 runs
Jolted by the big loss to India, Bangladesh vented their ire on a hapless UAE side which they bundled out for 82 runs after setting 134 for victory.
Bangladesh were off to a brisk start with their openers adding 46 in 5.2 overs.
However, UAE put in another fine bowling performance as they tied down the middle-order.
In fact, the hosts were ticking along nicely at 72/1 before a collapse reduced them to 116/7.
It took a final over blast from Mahmudullah as he clobbered 17 runs off Rohan Mustafa to take them to a decent total.
UAE batsmen failed to match their bowling performance as they were never allowed to settle in.
Muhammad Usman top-scored with 30 while eight of his team-mates failed to reach the double-figure mark.
Mustafizur Rahman, captain Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib and Mahmudullah picked two wickets each to send UAE crashing to a 51-run defeat.
v Sri Lanka – Won by 23 runs
Sabbir and Shakib starred as Bangladesh recorded their maiden T20I win over Sri Lanka.
Batting first in a packed Sher-e-Bangla stadium, the hosts were rocked early as both their openers were sent back for a duck. More trouble awaited them with the run-out of Mushfiqur Rahim in the fifth over with the scorecard reading 27/3 in 5 overs.
From there on, it was a one-man show as Sabbir stroked his way to a 54-ball 80.
His 10 boundaries and three big sixes were the reasons for a competitive 147/7.
While defending, Bangladesh were guilty of grassing two catches in the first two overs, giving a second chance to each of the Sri Lankan openers.
While Tillakaratne Dilshan couldn’t capitalise and was removed for 12 in the fourth over, Dinesh Chandimal stuck around for a 56-run association with Shehan Jayasuriya for the second wicket.
That stand turned out to be the only significant one for the defending champions as they ended with 124/8 in 20 overs, falling short of the target by 23 runs.
Al-Amin Hossain picked three wickets in the death overs to finish with 3 for 34 while Shakib put in an all-round effort to finish with 2 for 21 after scoring 32 runs with the bat.
v Pakistan – Won by 5 wickets
Bangladesh edged Pakistan in a thrilling contest, their final league match, to punch their ticket for the final against India.
In what turned out to be the closest encounter of the league stage, Bangladesh had Pakistan under the pump early on, wiping their top-order away by the ninth over while conceding just 28 runs.
It took the pair of Sarfraz Ahmed and veteran Shoaib Malik to bail them out.
Together, they added 70 runs for the fifth wicket with Sarfraz scoring a half-century.
Al-Amin Hossain returned in the death overs to pick two wickets including that of Shahid Afridi as Pakistan finished at 129/7.
The wicket of returning Tamim Iqbal in the second over of the chase put Bangladesh on the back foot.
Sabbir and Saumya Sarkar stuck around for 33 runs and successfully negotiated the pace duo of Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Irfan.
Sabbir was cleaned up by Shahid Afridi for 14 in the ninth over but Sarkar found another willing partner in Mushfiqur before departing for a run-a-ball 48.
Tight bowling and two quick strikes changed the equation in Pakistan’s favour before it changed again in Mohammad Sami’s terrible 19th over in which he bowled two no-balls and leaked 15 runs.
From 18 off 12, it became 3 off 6 and Mahmudullah kept his calm to send Anwar Ali’s first delivery, a full toss, of the final over past the midwicket fence for the winning boundary.
BBN/SK/AD